


And I Can't Wait to go Home

by Wildspringflower06



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: M/M, Spoliers for 3X15, YOU KNOW IT, buddie, eddie begins, so soft, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:27:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23770828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildspringflower06/pseuds/Wildspringflower06
Summary: He'd meant what he'd said, he would always fight to come back to his family. Although he was only just realizing that his definition of family had changed.Coda to 3X15: Eddie Begins
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan “Buck” Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 147





	And I Can't Wait to go Home

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, I basically almost screamed when Eddie cut his line. And I couldn't get the need for a conversation between him and Buck afterwards out of my head.  
> Also, I looked it up and apparently Eddie's mom is Swedish, which I totally didn't know. Also he seemed like the type of person who would have two middle names, so he has one Spanish and one Swedish middle name.  
> Also title is from Ed Sheeran's song Castle on the Hill. :D

Eddie winced as he stretched his stiff neck, thankful that as far as injuries went, his were mostly superficial. Especially given how dire the circumstances had actually been. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew he was lucky to be alive, and only he knew how close it had actually been, as he’d refused to tell anyone the exact details of what happened 35 feet below the ground.

The doctors seemed amazed, frankly, and couldn’t find any reason for him to stay in the hospital for more than one night. Which was why Buck was waiting silently in a chair by the wall, having brought a fresh pair of clothes for Eddie to change into.

With a sigh he turned back around, fully dressed, with what little of his things he’d had left after being whisked away to the hospital packed neatly into a bag. Except for his necklace, that he kept tucked safely in his front jean pocket, where he could feel the comforting weight pressed against his leg. Slowly he turned to his best friend; he’d been waiting patiently for the dam to burst, or the volcano to erupt, or whatever other metaphor fit the situation, but it seemed like he was going to have to pry.

“Okay,” Eddie began, trying to sound as non-confrontational as possible. “let’s hear it.”

Buck blinked, almost tiredly, and it seemed to take him a moment to register Eddie was talking to him. “Hear what?”

“Whatever it is that’s had you biting your tongue since I got here, _yesterday_.” Eddie stressed, making it clear that if Buck had been attempting to hide it from him, the efforts were unsuccessful.

Buck shook his head, still refusing to look Eddie’s direction, but finally, quietly, “That was stupid of you.”

Eddie hadn’t quite caught the words that had been so softly murmured they might as well have not been spoken, “What?”

“I said that was stupid of you!” Buck exploded with a rush of water and volcanic ash. He stood with such force his flimsy plastic chair almost toppled over, before he began pacing in front of the door. “I mean, cut the line? What kind of self-sacrificial moron does that?”

“Well, me, obviously.” Eddie said with a little chuckle, trying to lighten the mood, but he was completely serious when he looked over Buck’s tense form. “And I have a sneaking suspicion you would too.”

Buck huffed, but the barest hints of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he nodded, “Yeah uh, Hen said as much.” The humor, however, was quickly washed away. “God, Eddie, did you even think before you did it? Consider the consequences at all?”

“No.” Eddie responded immediately, truthfully.

“Of course not.” Buck scoffed in response, arms crossing back over his chest.

Eddie felt a flare of defensive rage for his actions rise in his chest and couldn’t entirely control his tone as he responded. “Look, the only thing that went through my head was the fear in that kid’s eyes, and the feeling of his little fingers in mine before I got wrenched away. Leaving him alone, in the cold, in the dark. And I knew that if it was Christopher trapped down there, I would want the person sent to rescue him to do everything in their power to get him out. I couldn’t leave him down there.”

Buck nodded, he inhaled shakily, and when his eyes opened Eddie was shocked to see them lined with tears, “I know.” He nodded again, hands reaching up to rub at his face, then comb through his hair before ultimately falling by his sides as his head leaned back towards the ceiling.

For several moments the two stood in silence, Eddie watching carefully as Buck inhaled deeply, before his eyes finally opened and turned to face him on the exhale. He looked a little more composed than before, but was still clearly reigning his emotions in.

“I know.” He whispered, “It’s what makes you good at your job. You care, and you genuinely want to help however you can, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to protect an innocent person, you won’t stop unless every option has been exhausted. Those are only some of the reasons that I lo-” Buck cut himself off with a quick click of his jaw, Eddie was almost worried he’d bitten his tongue in the process.

But his interest was piqued. He knew what Buck wanted to say, he felt the words resonating in his own chest loudly. It seemed like forever they’d been dancing around it, tiptoeing the line, with neither one of them willing to take the plunge and jump across. “That you what?” He whispered, tilting his head slightly as he stepped closer.

For several moments the entire world seemed to fade to the background, as Buck’s wide eyes met his. Buck’s stare was so intense, his eyes deep like an ocean that Eddie was more than happy to get lost in. At some point during their conversation the two had drifted ever closer together, like they always did. Sometimes it seemed like they were two opposite ends of a magnet, no matter how far they wandered always finding their way back.

In a sudden flurry of movement, Buck surged forward and pressed his lips against Eddie’s. It was warm, and tasted salty from tears, and it made Eddie go weak in the knees.

When they pulled apart Eddie realized Buck wasn’t the only one crying, he heaved a large breath, both shocked at the kiss and the warm water streaming steadily down his face. He’d closed his eyes for only a moment but when he opened them up again the uncertain face of his best friend stared back him, worrying at his bottom lip in trepidation.

Without a flash of doubt in his mind, Eddie leaned in, smiling happily as his lips once again brushed against Buck’s. Buck’s large hands fisted clumps of his shirt, refusing to let him move away. Eddie’s own hands moved to drag through Buck’s messy hair, before settling over the back of his neck, fingers framing the man’s face.

“Hey,” Buck finally whispered, when they broke for air. “I need to say something.”

“Of course.” Eddie said, wrapping his arms around Buck’s waist.

Buck swallowed, “You, Edmundo Camilo Liam Diaz,” he began, voice so thick with emotion it made Eddie start crying all over again, “are a brave idiot, and I could not be more proud of you, but you better not do something like that again, you hear me?”

Eddie blinked, there were so many emotions flooding through his system, but somehow the thought at the forefront of his brain was, “Wow, that was really good pronunciation.”

Buck pulled back, shaking his head in disbelief even as he laughed wetly in amusement. “Is that what you took away from this?”

“No, no of course not, I’m sorry.” Eddie dipped his head to catch Buck’s downcast gaze, “Hey, I _am_ sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. And I promise to try and not do something like that in the future. Okay?”

He hoped it was enough, and for the few terrifying seconds it took Buck to nod softly he had been worried it wouldn’t be. But deep down, Eddie knew he couldn’t make a promise like that and realistically keep it, and Buck knew it too.

“Okay.”

Eddie had no control over the laugh that escaped him, he was feeling so many different emotions he couldn’t even possibly begin to name them all. Finally, he sniffled and looked back at Buck with a coy smile, “You still didn’t say it you know.”

Buck pulled back, his own eyes just barely beginning to dry, “Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah.”

“You’re insufferable.” Buck said with a wide smile as he pulled playfully against Eddie’s shirt.

“And you, Evan Buckley, are perfect.” Eddie whispered, cupping Buck’s chin to pull him in for a chaste kiss before resting their foreheads together, closing his eyes and breathing deeply through his nose. “And for the record, I’d be more than happy to say it back.”

Eddie felt more tears pool above his thumbs and knew they must look like such a mess. They were so engrossed in each other and their conversation, neither noticed the tell-tale clack of crutches against hard floor until Christopher’s soft voice was filtering through the doorway.

“Daddy? Why are you crying?”

Buck pulled back immediately, but he didn’t go far.

“Oh, hey buddy!” Eddie said, trying to wipe away some of the evidence on his face. “It’s okay, we’re just, really happy.”

Christopher took a half step forward, head bent upwards at the pair. “That you made it out okay?”

Eddie nodded, but also didn’t want to lie to his kid, “That, among other things.”

“What other things?”

Buck stifled a snicker behind his hand, shaking his head when Eddie looked to him for assistance.

Silently cursing the man he loved, Eddie sighed, “Just, something we’ll talk about later okay?”

Christopher seemed unphased, “Does it have to do with you kissing Bucky?”

Eddie’s brain stuttered to a standstill, his mouth opening and closing several times as he tried to form a coherent thought. Buck’s face was red all the way to the tips of his ears, and judging by the burning Eddie knew his wasn’t much better. “Uh, you saw that did you?”

“Mmhmm.” Chris nodded with a self-satisfied smirk.

Eddie shook his head in fond exasperation, “What am I supposed to do with you kid?” He opened his left arm to make room, “Well come on, get over here.”

Chris giggled, and practically launched himself into Eddie’s waiting arm. He easily hoisted Christopher off the ground and pulled him tight against his chest, using his other hand to squeeze Buck.

He felt as Buck maneuvered his arms from where they’d been pressed to his chest to snake around his and Christopher’s backs. When he dipped his head against Eddie’s collarbone, Eddie couldn’t resist the temptation to kiss the hair that was tickling his neck. Then he turned slightly so he could nuzzle Chris with his nose. “I love you both.”

“Love you daddy.” Christopher whispered back.

Buck just nodded his head against Eddie’s chest gently, but Eddie knew the meaning behind it.

Buck’s fingers were digging tightly into his shirt, warm tears staining the light fabric dark, and Christopher’s crutches were pushing against his bruised ribs, but Eddie wasn’t about to stop the hug.

It was messy, and perfect, and not at all what he had ever expected it to be. But he’d meant it, he’d meant it unconditionally and without exception. He would always fight to come back to his family, no matter how it changed, or where they were, he had them, and he loved them. And he was never letting them go.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, if you'd be so kind as to leave a little note, even just a heart or smiley face to let me know you enjoyed it, that would really mean a lot! I have been feeling majorly depressed with everything that's going on and I could use a little love! <3


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